TCoH: Harry's First Year
by MoonRose91
Summary: -Sequel to The Cat of Hogwarts- Menace has made a name for herself since kittenhood. And now Harry Potter's come to Hogwarts. He's just another student...right?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hi! So, here it is. Harry's First Year, as told by a cat who was raised by Snape.

...I'm not sure how that will work out.

**Chapter One: Some Sorting Traditions**

Menace stretched lazily at the foot of her Potions Master's bed. The quiet of early morning was going to soon be dismantled, however, for today, as Menace knew from the mere eager crackling from the stones of Hogwarts herself, was Sorting Day.

Everything attached to Hogwarts with a half a brain (omitting her Potions Master, naturally; he had more than half a brain, but he dedicated it to his Potions and his Dark Arts and Menace had long accepted her Potions Master as is) could feel it in their very bones, if they had them. They knew and they either growled in irritation at their peace being disturbed (such as her Potions Master) or they rejoiced (such as Hogwarts and Menace herself) at the thought of students returning.

And Librarian of course (for Menace at least).

Menace liked her. The strict woman let her sleep on the tops of the bookshelves, which was an enjoyable pass time, along with feeding her treats.

It took little to convince Menace to like someone.

It took much more for her to trust them.

And that trust, which could have so easily been won in her kitten-hood, grew to true cat-like precision with the aid of Mrs. Norris who had taken Menace under her paw to teach her the ropes of Hogwarts. However, neither could agree on how to feel about students.

Mrs. Norris hated them all with a fiery passion that Menace couldn't understand.

Menace, however, loved the students. Marcus was, naturally, her favorite of the students, though there were a few in Hufflepuff (such as Cedric) that she liked as well, and even in Griffindor (she actually liked George and Fred, for reasons that were her own to dictate, if she wished to) she had some, though Ravenclaws rarely pet her how she liked it for her to collect many likable students there.

However, of them all, it was Slytherin that held her heart.

Which, naturally, made sense.

They were _hers_.

She resisted the urge to hiss slightly and let out a dignified sniff when _her_ Potions Master flipped his blanket over her, shaking her out of her thoughts. She wriggled out and glared at him.

"_I am __**very**__ displeased with you,"_ she informed him.

"You are always displeased with me in the mornings Menace. Why should today, of all days, be any different?" Severus answered.

"_I wouldn't be displeased if you didn't flick your bed coverings over me every morning. You are perfectly able to get out of bed in the mornings **without** disturbing my thoughts,"_ Menace retorted.

"Don't sleep at the foot of my bed and I won't do that," Severus retorted.

Menace's eyes narrowed slightly.

"_Severus, you are __**my**__ Wizard, __**my**__ Potions Master, and are the voice box to __**my**__ House,"_ Menace began to argue, ignoring his snort at that and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Vengeance would be swift and sweet.

And colder than that winter night in which Severus had first found her in.

"_I have __**earned**__ the right, and would deserve it whether I have earned it or not, to sleep on the foot of your bed and not be disturbed in the mornings,"_ she continued, her tail lashing in irritation before she settled it over her front paws tightly.

She had not grown much, which was fine. She was a beautiful example of feline beauty. Severus had said so himself.

Of course, right now she was considering him to be a cruel and vicious brute when he seemed to be hiding his laughter.

With an irritated flick her tail, Menace jumped down gracefully and left the quarters they shared, keeping her pace regulated.

Very well.

Let's see who was laughing when she cuddled with Minnie.

* * *

Menace pretended that the increased purring was from the piece of sausage Minnie fed her and not the 'Death Glare' Severus was sending her as she ate daintily from the cat in woman's skin's fingers. "Severus, what are you doing to this dear creature?" she stated and Menace immediately let out a pitiful 'mew' (Menace, at this time in her life, had long given up having a great and powerful call like her mother, or even Mrs. Norris), widening her eyes slightly to look pathetically up at Minnie.

"She's a snake in cat's skin," Severus hissed and Menace immediately purred brilliantly at the compliment, even as Severus served himself some porridge.

"_Don't forget to put honey in there to sweeten your disposition,"_ Menace stated.

Severus let out a snarl about 'I'll show you a sweetened disposition', but Menace was already bounding away, easily darting around the Bright One's eye-smarting robes, before she sped up, tearing off through the castle.

She had exploring to get done before students came.

* * *

*_Menace,*_ Mrs. Norris greeted and Menace gave a tail twitch in greeting, eyes not leaving the odd snake she had found.

It was speaking of Speaker.

*_What does the overgrown worm want?*_ Mrs. Norris questioned in irritation, ignoring the warning hiss that came from the snake.

The snake was beautiful, really. A deep black that had patterns of silver dancing across it. It came from the Forbidden Forest, and she turned to give Mrs. Norris a narrow eyed look. *_I am speaking with him. He says a Speaker is coming. I wish to know what he means,*_ Menace retorted and focused back on the snake.

He hissed another warning at Mrs. Norris before he focused on Menace once more.

*_A Sssspeaker. Sssspeakersss rare. Ssssspeakerssss don't come anymore. Sppppeaker of the Sssserpentsssss is coming,*_ the snaked explained.

*_Ah. Well…that makes things interesting. I believe. How can I find him so I may bring forth his description in scent to you?*_ Menace asked, ignoring Mrs. Norris disgusted sound that Menace had even bothered to wander through holes in the wards so she could go to the Forbidden Forest and learn the languages of every Beast she could.

It was foolish to be ignorant when one had the way to get rid of that ignorance.

*_Wissssse Kitten,*_ the snake stated and Menace pressed her ears back into her head until they disappeared in irritation.

Despite the fact she was, technically, an adult, many cats, and other creatures, referred to her as 'Kitten' still.

*_You will know. You ssssseek knowledge. You sssssavor knowledge. You will know. __**All**__ will know,*_ the snake answered and then quickly slithered away.

*_That is still disgusting that you can speak to them,*_ Mrs. Norris stated and Menace gave a cat-shrug before she focused on Mrs. Norris.

*_Your disapproval is noted Mrs. Norris. Is there anything I can aid you with?*_ Menace inquired.

*_Ritual must be met,*_ Mrs. Norris stated.

Menace gave a nod and soon the two cats were trotting off.

It was true.

They had a ritual to meet.

* * *

**Speech Key:**

_"Familiar to Wizard/Witch Speech"_

_*Magical Creature to Magical Creature Speech*_ (And, yes, this is 'average human translation' so we can understand what is said)

_"Sssssnake Ssssspeech"_ (I am not spelling out the actual word.

**A/N: **For anyone wondering, Menace is odd, even by Magical Cat Standards. She actively searches out knowledge. Most cats don't speak with snakes and visa-versa. The fact Menace can is mostly due to herself. As noted by Mrs. Norris, the average consensus among the Magical Feline Community is parallel to the Wizarding Community (though Menace insists that it is visa-versa, as humans, Magical or Muggle, are meant to serve cats and, thus, their society reflects their own).

Beside the point, I am enjoying playing merry havoc with J.K. Rowling's verse that she created, especially since we never learned much about Familiars and I always wondered how Dumbledore got along with Fawkes and such.

...Have I mentioned this is an AU?

I mean, beyond the obvious.

Hopefully not severe.

...I'm done now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Rituals of Cats**

Wizards do not know everything.

They are stupid in thinking that they do.

They do not know that Familiars, even the Familiars of Squibs, have magic of their own. They do not know that there are ways we use our magic to defend and protect our own. We can use rituals and things that Wizards have long forgotten.

Menace was used to this knowledge being a burden instead of liberating.

She could never tell Severus of what the Creatures of Hogwarts did at the start of every term.

Menace easily followed Mrs. Norris down into where only Hogwarts would let them go, as she had been able to do since she left kittenhood for adulthood. She jumped over a particularly wide spot and landed with little fuss on the other side, her tail twitching as she watched Mrs. Norris trying to decide how next to head down.

She wasn't as young as she used to be, after all.

Unlike Menace, she couldn't just leap across and she was grumbling about it.

_*Hurry up! They won't wait for us,*_ Menace stated and Mrs. Norris hissed at her before taking a hop sideways to land on a piece of rock overhang before jumping the rest of the way.

_*Watch your mouth kitten!*_ Mrs. Norris snapped and Menace merely let Mrs. Norris take the lead once more.

As they finally dropped down, they found themselves in an odd cave that resided under Hogwarts. It was the only place that any creature could get to, from the Forbidden Forest (as shown with the two unicorns), the lake (the Giant Squid's tentacles were fluttering lightly across the surface), and, naturally, Hogwarts.

_*Menace?*_ Mrs. Norris stated and Menace gave a nod.

She immediately stepped into position, settling on a rune that had long lost significance for the humans. She gave a hiss and it began to glow beneath her.

The Giant Squid went next.

Whatever it did, it cause all the water in the cavern to glow eerily and then…came the unicorns. This was always something that Menace wished she could learn.

The first, the Elder Unicorn, stepped forward and, in the dirt, scratched out a rune with her horn. She then stepped back and the younger, probably one that had just come into the coat of adulthood, stepped forward. That unicorn bowed and touched his or her horn to the rune, lighting it with silvery magic.

The magic reverberated around them as Hogwarts herself did her renewal of the one ward that was the charge of the creatures that resided there.

_*Next year, the owls can do it,*_ Mrs. Norris growled and walked off.

_*See you next year,*_ Menace responded to the other magical creatures, the unicorns who gave a short nod and left, while the Giant Squid just waved a tentacle lazily before slipping under the water.

Only then did Menace leave, easily catching up with Mrs. Norris.

A cat's work was never done.

* * *

Severus ignored Menace as she made her way into their quarters. She, however, was not going to put up with that, and immediately settled across his foot. He let out an annoyed growl and shifted his foot out from beneath her, forcing Menace to lie on the cold stone.

She sniffed and got up, only to repeat the process until Severus, mostly trying to get Menace to _stop lying on his foot_, found his knees hitting the back of one of his chairs and collapsing back, forced to sit. With that, Menace jumped onto his lap and stared up at him innocently.

Severus let out a few choice descriptions of her that Menace knew were not the insults they would be for anyone else, as he was petting her and she began to purr.

"You are a menace," he stated.

"_I am what I am, Severus,"_ she answered calmly and she felt his smile (though it would never show on his face), even as she began to doze off.

Today was Sorting Day.

She needed the rest.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Opening Feast**

Menace bounded her way through the feet of students that were rushing for their tables. Each near miss was an argument in Severus's favor in keeping her locked away from the student body, and each easy dodge was an argument in _her_ favor.

It was a long standing argument between them.

That made her think about how, now that the students were back, he would not speak aloud to her until they were safely cloistered away in their quarters and the blanket would no longer be flipped over her head.

While she didn't like the cover being flipped over her head, it said something about the change the students brought out in her Severus.

These same students that brought laughter and shouts and taunts and _life_ back into Hogwarts. And Hogwarts responded.

Around her Hogwarts _sang_ with joy at the return of students, thrumming under paws, and she rushed over to the first group of students that she loved.

With a powerful leap, she landed on the shoulder of a redhead and his identical twin laughed as he picked her up off his brother's shoulder, easily holding her and she let out a happy 'mrew' sound before she licked his nose.

He laughed and his twin scratched at _that_ spot behind her right ear. She arched oddly and the twin holding her (she was sure he was Fred) looked at his twin. "Its our favorite planning buddy George!" Fred (she was right) stated and George laughed. They continued to pet her until she carefully scrambled over Fred's shoulder and jumped away, bounding away.

She didn't pause, running around. She jumped up into the lap of some Hufflepuffs, greeting each in her own way before she 'disappeared' to make her final round at the Slytherin table.

Menace carefully settled on Marcus's lap as the new students (Menace privately called them Hogwarts's litter and Hogwarts was amused by it) began to march in and she felt…_something_ curl along her spine. She twisted and turned on Marcus's lap until she found the source.

The boy was small, and scrawny.

He was the runt of this litter.

Menace perked up and watched him.

Glasses, messy black hair, and _scrawny_.

She shifted a bit on Marcus's lap and the boy looked down at her. "What's wrong girl?" he asked softly and her tail twitched, flicking his arm. He blinked a bit in surprise and he scratched at that spot between her shoulder blades. She purred, to show her appreciation, but she was focused on the Runt.

He would be hers too.

Being the runt hurt and, unless he had someone to protect him, like her Severus for her, he would fall. He would come to harm and Menace was Menace.

She would be his protector.

Severus, she was sure, would not mind.

Especially if she didn't tell him.

* * *

Marcus didn't try to stop Menace as she slipped of his lap to go over to _her_ Runt.

She slipped along the floor as quickly as she could, and Severus was thoroughly distracted by his pain and his rage.

And she didn't prod, because he would tell her if he wished to share. She didn't pause as she jumped up and the boy, her Runt, jumped in surprise before he immediately melted.

"Oh, hello. Who are you?" he greeted softly and scratched along her jaw. She purred loudly and pushed up against his chest, curling in his grip, and her Runt smiled, before he found her collar.

He flipped over the crest. "Menace?" he questioned and the cat purred louder. She, of course, could not spend all her time with her Runt, but he would he hers and she would protect him, just as Severus had protected her.

Just as she protected Severus…when he didn't realize she was.

Her Runt, however, would be much easier to handle.

She cuddled against his chest again and settled down just as the food appeared.

And then her Runt, being the precious boy he is, immediately gave her some food. He ate himself, but only after she nudged his hand when he tried to feed her after not taking a bite of his food.

She cuddled again and let her eyes slide into slits as she dozed.

It wasn't often a Runt came through.

A Runt was more then just the smallest of the group (though this one was the smallest). A Runt was one who needed extra care, extra attention.

Despite the terminology, it was not an insult, or someone to write off.

A Runt, in what Menace conceived, was someone who was _special_.

One came through a year ago, but she had been…inadequate, to say the least.

She had not been a true Runt.

Menace heard the warning chime Hogwarts always gave her, before the students got excused, and she hopped off the boy's lap.

He let out a soft sound and she turned to him before hopping back up. She reached up and bat the crest before she turned and left.

She had to get to the quarters she shared with Severus.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Tears**

Menace was relaxing in her chair when Severus entered. He immediately strode over and picked her up, carefully, and cradled her close to his chest. She let out a concerned mew, even as she made a gentle inquiry in his mind, concern bumping against his shields that could never keep her out once they had, truly, Bonded as Familiar and Wizard.

Severus did not cry.

It was something she had accepted long ago.

Tonight, that was not true.

Menace curled against him and purred soothingly, the same purr that her mother had used to get her kittens to sleep. He just held her and, that night, they did not sleep in the bed, but in the chair by the fire, the soft popping of the wood causing her ears to twitch.

But she did not push, because her Severus never did respond well to pressure. And the next morning, he washed her fur out and fed her before he changed and stalked out, looking very much like a snarling creature of the darkness.

Oh, dear.

* * *

Beyond that first few days, it was fine. The first Friday of term had dawned bright and with Severus being…odd. He hadn't flipped the blanket over her head (he rarely did during term, but she usually found a reason to be 'displeased' with him in the mornings, if only to give him some continuity) and he was…angry, nervous, and sad all at once.

She had asked, hesitantly, having never seen him like this before, but Severus merely pet her, scratching under her chin.

That…that was never a good sign.

Ever.

He only did that when he knew she was going to be irritated with him later.

Her eyes narrowed, but he was settling her on the floor and walking out. She sighed and focused on wandering. She met with students, purred and curled around their legs, and helped a couple of Ravenclaw First Years find their way to their class.

By the time lunchtime came around, she was feeling accomplished when she overheard her dear Snakes laughing over Severus digging into a student called 'Harry Potter.'

Her tail lashed and she turned, racing away.

She had a student to comfort.

* * *

She did not find him that day, nor the next.

But on Sunday, she discovered two things.

The first being that Harry Potter was a quiet child, nothing she expected from the description of 'Potter' (admittedly _James_ Potter) she had heard over the years.

The second was that he was _her_ Runt.

Oh, dear.

She let out a mewl and jumped up onto his lap, as he was sitting in the Griffindor Common Room, one of the twins having let her in when she mewled up at them pitifully.

He smiled at her and scratched behind her ears, earning a soft purr. "Hey. I thought you were mad at me too, but everyone says you wander about and you'd show up sooner or later," he stated and Menace purred lightly in agreement, butting her head against his hand.

He continued to pet her and smiled a bit before he waved his quill at her. She immediately reacted, batting at the quill playfully before she jumped up on the table and pat at the paper. He glanced at it and smiled a bit. "It's good enough," he stated and she glanced at the paper, noting that it was his Potions homework and she pat it more insistently.

Harry frowned a bit.

"He doesn't like me. Putting effort into it, when he doesn't like me, is a waste of time," Harry whispered and she let out an annoyed mrewl before she eyed the paper. With that, she sauntered over to his book and began to turn the pages.

This was much easier if one had thumbs, but she managed by getting the page up, hooking her paw under it and flipping it over. "What are you doing?" Harry asked and blinked in surprise as Menace reached out, patting the page, sauntering over to the essay, and patting that too. Harry stared and then sighed.

"Okay, okay," Harry muttered and pulled the book over, reading over the page she had turned it to before he glanced at the essay.

He frowned and sighed. Menace let out an encouraging purr and he balled it up, throwing the essay to the side before he tossed it into the fire. Menace watched it fly, noting that he had very good accuracy, and then focused on him. Over the next hour, she quietly encouraged him to stretch that brain, use it, and to search for the answers in the answers. She privately smiled, purring lowly in satisfaction as Harry wrote an essay for her Severus that was sure to soothe the man.

Now, onto Transfiguration.

"Hey, Harry, I thought you were done with your essay…what's with the cat?" a young red head boy stated and Menace glared at him in irritation.

She didn't deserve that rudeness, thank you very much!

"I was Ron, but Menace insisted that I rework my essays and it was impossible to argue with her," Harry stated, flushing a little in embarrassment, even as Ron backpedaled so fast he tripped over his own feet and hit the ground.

Menace let out a 'mreowl' of concern and took a step forward, only for Ron to shout, "Keep her away from me!"

Menace took a step back, confused, and sat down. She was a bit surprised when she felt someone pick her up and she looked up to find Harry holding her. "Ron, calm down, she's just a very intelligent, beautiful, cat," Harry stated and she purred loud and long at his compliments.

Not as nice as Severus's of course, but she was the only one who liked his compliments.

Then again, she was the only one who considered 'thrice cursed mangy snake in cat's skin' a compliment.

Said complement was usually shouted when she did something exceptionally clever.

"Gred, you didn't tell me Menace was here!" she heard one of the twins state and Harry blinked up as he walked over with a grin and George followed far more calmly.

Well, comparatively.

"Yeah, I let her in. She was staring at the portrait so pitifully, I was sure the Pink Lady was going to give in at any moment and let her in," George answered, easily reaching over to pet her. She leaned up, purring, and Fred grinned.

"Why is Ronniekins on the floor?" he asked gleefully.

Harry, however, was looking between them, and said, "I think he's scared of Menace."

When the Twins began laughing, Menace knew, exactly, why Ron was scared of her.

She made sure to show her displeasure by swiping at Fred with her claws, as he was the most likely perpetrator.

Of the two, it was _always_ Fred who was more vicious.

Irritating little dunderhead.

* * *

Menace slipped into the quarters she shared with Severus.

It was after dinner and she settled into her chair, wondering if Severus was here, or wandering the corridors. It was rare that she was not waiting for him in their quarters and she hoped he wasn't too worried.

If he was, she was going to have to do some quick thinking and her saying _'I was helping a student with homework'_ would be met with a raised eyebrow, as Menace usually preferred to _distract_ people over actually helping them.

Usually because she aimed for students who need to _slow down_ or their brains would melt.

She settled into the chair and jumped up when the door opened. He looked around the _relief_ was obvious. Her ears lowered, along with her body, and she stared up at him, _"Sorry. I was…I got caught up."_

He didn't answer, just scooped her up and held her close. She purred lowly, relieved beyond anything that he wasn't asking.

But then again, that wasn't the way they worked, was it?


End file.
